Explores the unexpected patterns that love, and its absence, weave into our lives. With her understanding of human complexity and contrariness, the award-winning author takes us to the margins and centres of people’s lives, introducing us to some of her most unforgettable characters yet.

In a nutshell:

I read it in: English

I liked it: Yes, very much

For people who like: stories that get you emotionally involved

My thoughts:

One thing I know for certain. I am giving the spot where Amy Bloom’s God of Love hangs out a wide berth.

“Where the God of Love hangs out” consists of two sets of four connected stories with four separate short stories in between. The first set is titled “William and Clare” and is about a two friends, both married to other people, discovering their love for each other rather late in life. This was very different from any other romance (if you can call it that) I have read. The couple are two elderly people and they are neither beautiful, sexy nor healthy. Their story moved me very much and made me like Amy Blooms’ writing style from page one. (I posted a book beginning on Friday here where you can read the first paragraph). The ending was extremely upsetting and it got me thinking for a long time afterwards.

The second set is called “Lionel and Julia” and is about a young man falling in love with his stepmother. They spend one night together and this one night overshadows the rest of their lives. Again quite upsetting how we see that one mistake – if it can be called a mistake – has consequences for years and years to come.

The four stand alone stories – one of them giving the book its title – were very good, too, each of them in their own way. The one is liked the least was “By-and-by” simply because I don’t like reading about violence and this was a violent story.

I found the stories very touching and shocking at the same time, and immediately went in search for more of Amy Bloom. Unfortunately I found out that some of the stories in “Where the God of Love hangs out” had been published in previous books as stand alones, whereas here they were connected to others in the set. I can see why Lionel and Julia had more stories in them but I really don’t want to buy a book when I already own some of its content. I suppose I will have to wait until I find Amy Bloom at the library.

3 Comments

Sounds good! I have a different book by her, Away, that I haven’t read yet. I have never read anything by Bloom so I have no idea what she’s like. But from your review, I think I may like her style.Leeswammes (Judith)’s last post ..New Arrivals!

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